Singapore GDP Surges

First-Period Growth
Of 6.8% Prompts
Improved '06 View

SINGAPORE -- The economy of Singapore expanded faster than first estimated in the first quarter, prompting the government to upgrade its growth forecast for 2006 on a robust outlook for electronics.

Gross domestic product on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis rose 6.8% in the first quarter from the fourth quarter. That compares the preliminary estimate of 1.2% growth, which was largely based on only two months of data.